A glamorous Aussie FIFO worker has revealed the five unwritten rules she believes newcomers need to know before heading to the mines.
Ally, a 27-year-old Western Australia-based FIFO worker and aspiring bikini body competition model, took to TikTok on Tuesday to share the advice she gave her younger sister ahead of her first swing.
Still dressed in her work uniform, with dirt and goggle marks visible across her face, Ally wasted no time laying out the realities of life on site.
“These are the five things I’ve told my younger sister before she starts her FIFO swing,” she said.
“One: bring a shower filter because the hard water will destroy your hair and you’ll be looking like a scaly lizard.
“Two: don’t use the dryer because it shrunk my clothes.”
Ally then turned her attention to the unwritten social rules of the “mess”- the communal dining area where FIFO workers typically eat during their swings.
“Three: if people are wearing headphones in the mess, it usually means ‘don’t talk to me’.”
But it was her fourth piece of advice that came with a more serious warning about navigating relationships on site.
For rule number four, she said: “Find at least one friend that you can trust because it’s a competitive environment.
“People will throw you under the bus to benefit themselves- there are snakes in the f***ing grass.”
Finally, Ally stressed the importance of maintaining structure during long days away from home.
“Have a solid routine”.
“If you want to maximise your time and your sleep, every minute honestly counts.”
Ally’s video quickly gained traction online, with fellow FIFO workers backing her advice and sharing some unwritten rules of their own.
“First person that I 100% agree with,” one user said, while another wrote: “That’s pretty solid advice! Nice.”
“Well said young lady, remember those sites well and yes snakes is a big one. Hope it works well for her and she listens to you,” a third wrote.
A fourth advised Ally’s sister to bring her own pillow from home as “ones on camp’s are like concrete” while another said: “Just do your job and don’t get involved in other people’s drama.”
“Rule one: Work colleagues are not mates. Hi and bye is enough,” another wrote.
Ally, who regularly shares glimpses into her life as a FIFO worker, has also revealed one unexpected “bad habit” she claims to have picked up since entering the industry.
“One habit I’ve been forming ever since starting FIFO- which is really bad, and I gotta get out of it- is burping,” Ally sheepishly admitted.
“I’ll be walking anywhere, and I’ll just burp, like in the crib or whatever.”
Her confession also struck a chord with other FIFO workers in the comments.
“That’s camp life rubbing off on you,” one user wrote alongside several laughing emojis.
“Burping is so normal to me now too,” another said, while a third added: “Too much time around men, better out than in or out the other end.”